The XScape
by Fluffy Walrus
Summary: Rogue's been kidnapped! Now Kitty's on a mission to save her! But in the arms of a Cajun, will she want to be saved?
1. The Cat and the Swamp Rat

Author's Intro

  
  


Allo all! Fluffy Walrus here! We've decided that even though X-Men Evolution sucks (Where are the bloody accents? Where, I ask you?!!), it had one good moment (Well, it had several, but we're only gonna mention the one), and that good moment was the episode 'Day of Reckoning'. Why you ask? Because GAMBIT and COLOSSUS CAME IT!!!! That's right, there's so cool! And even if the show destroyed the other characters (and their accents) that scene with Gambit and Rogue was pretty cool! '^_^' (who else was busy screaming at her to drop the card? Come on… you know you were!)

So! I did have a point in there somewhere! 

Ah! There it is!

What we've done is take that episode and what happen in it, then change _back_ to the comic universe, _then_ take that and make them slightly younger. Not as young as in Evolution, but younger then the comic universe. Basically we bastardized it! (Yes we're damn proud of it!) Ages, let's see, Gambit's about 24 (I think, I'm not too sure about the age difference between him and Rogue), Colossus is about 24, Shadowcat is 19 and Rogue is 21. Everyone get it? Got it? Good!

One last note. ***Step around the plot holes and you'll do just fine***

(Remember, Evolution plot line, but comic characters!!)

Anyways! Enjoy!

FluffyWalrus 

Disclaimer: We own nothing except everything.

Rating: PG-13 for slightly sexual and violent content.   
  
Chapter One: The Cat and the Swamp Rat

  
  


Kitty sat in the chair; because it was the only chair in the ransacked Brotherhood house that wasn't covered in Toad's slime or squashed flatter than a pancake from the Blob. Which made it about as flat as Cyclops' personality.

It creaked as she shifted her weight, folding her knees within the circle of her small arms, her curly hair falling over her slim shoulder. She sniffled loudly -loud enough that Avalanche heard her over the static-filled tv. 

"What's the matter with you?" he demanded. Lance barely looked up from the television, but he was able to see her peaceful expression: hazel eyes misty with heavy thoughts and her smiling mouth unusually straight. That was a bad sign. Kitty was always thinking, and, usually, the less it looked like she was thinking, the more disturbing her thoughts.

"Go back to your 'Days of Our Lives'," she irately growled. She didn't like being mentally interrupted. The rickety chair groaned as she moved away from the bothersome Avalanche.

So what if she was smiling and was a little less optimistic? People were allowed to have moments to sulk, now and then. It was perfectly natural! Especially after they'd lost somebody they loved. . . .

The X-Men were her new family. Everyone of them knew that. They looked after each other. Like how Wolverine had saved her during that whole "demon" trouble episode, how he'd helped to rebuild the mansion over and over, how I phased people, or how Nightcrawler had been known to save people from following her. No matter where Kitty went, there were her fellow X-Men, whether they were there physically or for emotional support. As much as Kitty wanted time on her own now and then, she never realized how much she'd miss her family members until they were gone.

Beast wasn't reciting poetry or Shakespeare anymore. The Professor had vanished, and somehow all the X-Men were finding his lack of fatherly presence unnerving. And then there was Rogue. . . .

Her slender fingers began to tremble. She shoved her frail body further into the smelly furniture, trying to hide her shivering frame from Lance, or anyone else who might happen to pass by the decrepit television room. Since the other day, she'd been wracked with guilt. With more than just guilt.

She'd felt guilty for calling Kurt a fuzzy blue elf when they had first met, but they'd gotten over that little incident. She had felt deplorable the first time she had used telepathy to talk with the Professor, giving him such a headache he'd needed to take acetaminophen for a week straight. 

This was far worse than all of that. Katherine Pryde, the ever-cheerful, occasionally sickeningly optimistic computer genius of the X-Men was wallowing, and all round dying, of guilt.

Right in front of her, Rogue had been captured, caught in some horrible type of green glue. She hadn't been able to move. Kitty had nightmares just thinking about it! What it was like to be aware of what was going on around you and not to be able to help yourself. It must have been horrible! If it had been her, she would have gone nuts! She was slowly beginning to understand Storm's fear of closed spaces, although this was slightly different. . . .

But then, who was to say that Rogue knew what was going on anyway?. . . .

'I should have done something!' she told herself for what had to be the millionth time, that day alone. The guilt began to climb up over her head. She had managed to phase out of the green globule (whatever it had been) so why hadn't she gone and phased Rogue out too?

'Of course,' the other part of her mind said, 'it might have been good thing you did nothing. What if that caused... brain damage or something? I don't think Rogue would have appreciated it if you turned her into a vegetable for the rest of her life. Although she does kind of look like a carrot. None the less, I should have at least tried! If I'd tried, then I might have been captured too! Then who would be here to save them? But, thus far, we haven't. . . .'

Her rapid-fire mind slowed, as if it had run into a wall -or would have, minus her phasing ability. Kitty had just had a flash of brilliance that was unparalleled to anything else she'd ever thought. Katherine's course was clear and laid out before her. Her hazel eyes widening, she smiled. It wasn't her normal, friendly, and dazzling smile, but something sly and mischievous. As if her old namesake, Sprite, had suddenly been resurrected and turned sinister, or Mystique was wearing her face. 

Avalanche caught the expression and was frightened. That didn't look like the Kitty he knew. Nervously, he shut off the television, turning all his attention to the girl he'd often tried to use. "Hey, Kitty-Cat," he said, "now I know something's bothering you. You look like the cat that just stole the cream."

"Yeah, well," she began, feisty at once again being disturbed. "Yeah, you look like... aw, shut up!" Unable to come up with an intelligent remark, she phased, floating up to the second level.

She snuck by Kurt, who was busy fencing; past Cyclops as he sat staring at the window, pondering the Professor's whereabouts; past Mystique as she lounged seductively on the bed of her remaining bedroom, reading a Daniel Steele novel as if nothing was wrong. She traversed through the door to the bedroom she shared not only with Jean Grey, but also with Amara.

Both of them were asleep. That suited Kitty just fine. She wasn't Shadowcat for nothing. Changing from her jeans to her X-Men uniform, she stuffed her pockets with anything she might need, from food rations to a small tool kit. Katherine went over the plan (or lack thereof) again in her head. She should bring someone else with her?

Phasing back through the door, she almost passed right through Kurt before she noticed that he was standing there. She grabbed her heart, glad she hadn't reacted by hitting him, and thoroughly frightened. "Holy crap, Kurt! You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Katzchen," he said in his thick accent. His yellow-white eyes glowed impishly, his tail wavering behind him. "Vere are you going? Did you really think you could sneak be da fuzzy blue elf? These ears aren't just for decoration, you know."

For a moment she thought about bringing Kurt with her, but this was Kitty's mission. She couldn't ask her friend to come with her, even if she did want the companionship. Knowing she couldn't lie to such a close friend, she hugged him, catching him off guard. His arms wrapped around her waist. Kitty buried her face in the blue fur covering his neck, inhaling deeply, as if she were afraid she'd never see him again.

"I'm leaving, Kurt," she muttered, wrenching her eyes shut. "I've got to do something. I believe we survived to help the Professor and the others, but we're here doing nothing! I'm nineteen years old, Kurt, old enough to make my own decisions. I'm going to help my friends!"

"Katzchen," he sighed. The monk let her go, bamfing after her as she passed through the floor, back downstairs. He hung upside down, prehensile tail wrapped around an unstable candelabra. "If you're so serious to go, at least allow me to go vith you. Two is better company than one, Liebchen."

"No," she growled. Kitty whirled as she was -literally- half in, half out of the front door. With her eyes glowing and determined, and her wavy brown hair cascading around her shoulders, Nightcrawler thought she looked like a saint. "I'm not letting you put yourself in danger, Kurt. You stay here. If you want to help me, cover for me. I'm the one who's best able to bust them out of... wherever it is they're being held. I'll see you soon. Hopefully," she added before leaving the house -and her fellow X-Men- for what might be forever.

Kurt crossed himself and cast his eyes heaven-ward; although, given his precarious position, it was actually towards the ground. "Holy Father, who art in Heaven, please, send your angels to protect mein Katzchen. And, if you're not too busy, help her save our freunds. Amen."

  
  


[Meanwhile. . . .]

  
  


'Ah'm not hung ovah, am Ah?' was the first thought that crossed her mind. The second was how ridiculous the first had been. 'Fool girl, Ah've nevah been hung ovah! Ah can't be hung ovah! So why does mah head hurt so dang much?' 

With a moan the twenty-one year old X-Man known as Rogue pulled herself into a sitting position and assessed the situation. She was in a cell, and not a comfortable one either. It was no more than ten by ten feet, with an old smelly mattress pulled under her. A sad excuse for a bed, she concluded. The only other furniture in the room was a small sink and a toilet seat that was so vile in both appearance and scent her stomach began to turn at the notion of using it.

"G'mornin', Petite! Gambit was beginnin' to wonder if Petite'd ever wake up," came a heavily accented voice from just outside her cell.

Upon hearing his voice Rogue pulled her protesting body to its feet and assumed a defensive stance, just in case the boy wanted to try anything. From what little she could see in the dim light, he didn't seem to be overly strong, but if he was a mutant, she'd have to watch herself. There was no telling what his powers could be.

"Woah, Petite, take it easy! Gambit not here to hurt you, he here with food." He moved a bit closer to Rogue's cell and presented her with a tray of rather spicy smelling food. He knelt down to place it on the floor, and for the first time Rogue got a clear view of his face.

"You!" she exclaimed as she pushed toward the bars. "You're that swamp rat that handed me the explodin' card!" She moved with a speed that caught him off guard and grabbed his jacket lapels, pulling his face closer to her own. "Tell me who ya are, and where Ah am! Talk, or Ah'll. . . ."

He cut her off. "You'll what? Sorry, Petite, but that collar you wearin' turn off all your powers. You can do nothin' to Gambit." He put his big hands over her yellow, gloved ones, and grinned at her. 

Rogue growled, and though fast. He was close enough, if she stretched just a little bit. . . . "We'll see, Cajun!" With that, she crushed his lips to her own, waiting to feel the familiar pull of her powers. She waited for a few seconds. Nothing was happening. She was about to pull away when she felt something. Oh. She felt something alright!

His tongue!

Her emerald eyes flew open in surprise as his tongue danced across her lips. What did he think he was doing? She tried to shove him off her, but she was without her powers and he was stronger than she'd given him credit for. She gasped in surprise as he took both her hands in his left one, and moved his right hand to caress her backside. 

The Cajun took the opportunity, and thrust his tongue into her mouth. She let out a moan as she felt herself begin to respond to his advances. Hell, it wasn't everyday she was given the opportunity to touch another living being, let alone kiss one. Her eyes drifted shut of their own accord and she let herself enjoy his administrations.

They remained locked together for a few moments longer before Gambit pulled away from her. He smirked at her dazed expression. "Told ya, Petite. Now, Gambit went ta all the troubl'a cookin' you a nice southern meal. Bon apetit!" he said with a wave as he turned to leave her alone with his meal.

"Wait!" Rogue called out as soon as she found her voice once more.

Gambit turned. "Oui?"

She looked into his dark eyes for a moment before asking, "Why'd ya kiss me?"

Gambit smirked and moved towards her once more. "Because, Petite. If there be one 'thing Gambit knows, it's that you start anythin' you don't intend ta finish." He paused, then added, "See ya around. . . Chere." With that, Rogue was once again left alone.

She raised a hand to her face, which felt a considerably warmer then it should have. 'He kissed me. . . .' she thought, still a little taken aback. Then, all of a sudden, the realization of what he'd done hit her with the impact of Wolverine on a bad day.

"That no good, smooth talkin' swamp rat took advantage o' me!" she yelled as she balled her fists in anger. "That bastard!" She muttered a few choice words under her breath before turning back to her dinner. Rogue ate it, glaring all the while.

'He may be scum, but a'least he can cook!' she thought as she stuffed the gumbo into her mouth. She'd get him back for that one.

. . . .One way or another. . . 

~*~

To be continued…. (mauwhahahaha)

So? What'd y'all think? We like it! But then again, you're not us! So we don't know what you're thinking! Review and let us know! Thank you!

See ya on the flip side!

FluffyWalrus 


	2. The Jack of Hearts and the Ace of Spades

AN: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews!

We're gonna take a moment to thank everyone who bothered to drop us a line! 

Personification of Fluff: Us here in Canada only have the first two seasons (I think... three and a half maybe) of Evo, so while everybody else has Gambit speaking or Sentinels and the like, we're just learning that -gasp!- Colossus and Gambit DO exist in this world. Therefore, we didn't know that there was another season until we started writing this story and went online and downloaded episodes. So... in conclusion, that never happened. Kitty, as I learned it anyway, was originally called Sprite.. Maybe Ariel. She takes the name Shadowcat after fighting some sort of a demon. Because it's AU, this never actually happened. She'll take the name eventually though. A certain Russian might help her. Kurt, who I, sadly, know little about, is supposedly a monk at one point. If Kitty's nineteen in this story, that makes him... thirty maybe? I don't really know. Just go on with it. 

Carolyn: I have a voice in my head too!!

Ishandahalf, I liked the Scott thing too. -I'm shutting up now.

TheWalrusWasPaul says:

Carolyn: Thank you! You scare me, but thank you. 

Ishandahalf: Yes, yes our name is very cool, your name is hard to type, but we love you anyways!(Keep reviewing) And YES YES YES!!! Rogue and Remy are the GREATEST!!! Go obsessions!

Rita: Go us.

Lulu: HA! I knew I wasn't alone in my shouting! '^_^;

Keika: Yes! See he doesn't look cool! What were they thinking?! Aw, wasn't their moment sweet? Aww..fluffy.... WHY DIDN'T SHE DROP THE BLOODY CARD?! GGGGAAHHHHHH!!!!! *Ahem*

Eve: Yeah! Now remember, the first chapter's free, but now that we know you're hooked, we'll have to talk about cost. Yeah that's right, we're the drug dealers of the fanfiction world... give us your soul! MAUWHAHAHAHA!!!!! .....We're only kidding... or that's what we're gonna tell you anyways! :) 

Disclaimer: We own nothing, except everything.

Chapter Two: The Jack of Hearts and the Ace of Spades

  
  


The once thief, now henchman, known as Gambit flopped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. Magneto would have his head! His plan was to weaken the girl, then convince her that the X-Men had betrayed her. Then, once the girl was near death from starvation, Magneto would step in with food and tell her that he would help her get revenge on those who had, in her now slightly demented state, betrayed her. 

Gambit's role in all this was to make sure she remained in the literal and proverbial dark. He was to guard her cell and keep her from escaping. Easy enough. Magneto knew Gambit would have no problems containing her. There was only one thing he hadn't planned on. Gambit had a conscience. 

With a tired sigh, Remy reached into his pocket and pulled out three cards; the ace, king, and queen of hearts. He focussed on them until they became blurry and he was forced to close his eyes. 

"What is Remy tinking? Goin' and helpin' dat girl? Dis whole plan be a bad ting. . . ." he muttered to himself, keeping his eyes closed. "Gambit don't want de femme to die. She be one of de most beautiful femmes Remy's seen." He realized what he was saying and sat up, placing his head in his hands. "What am I doin'? Goin' after dat girl! She be an X-Man... one Magneto needs for his plan. De femme won't survive what Magneto has planned. . . ."

He recalled the feel of the girl's body pressed against his. Even with the bars in the way, it had been amazing. He sighed again and reflected on Magneto's plan.

"Dis whole plan be a bad ting... Magneto's a fool to tink peace can come from war. Killin' de normal humans won't solve our problems... dat only makes it worse, turn us into everyt'ng dey say we are."

He sat down with his thoughts jumping from Magneto's plan to Rogue, and back for the rest of the night, until the sun began to rise. Gambit did not know what he had to do. . . .

  
  


****

  
  


'It's like a wasteland,' Katherine thought. That kind of scared her. After all, she had been there; it made her realize exactly how bad the fight had been. The lights had all been blown, allowing the shadows to creep unchecked into the city streets. All of the buildings had been cleared of even the wandering night shift. Thin walls had been erected, the first signs of the arriving builders who were going to repair the destroyed buildings. The sites had also been deserted, the equipment waiting patiently for the morning.

As eerie as it was, Kitty rather enjoyed the dark streets. It kept her mind noticing the environment pulling itself out of the muck to become dreary servants of the night as opposed to wondering about her friends. She imagined anything would come out and attack her, keeping her senses on high alert.

Bending down, she poked a previously unnoticed piece of green goo. Kitty picked it up with a pair of electrician's pliers. It was rock hard. She furrowed her brows. Why would Magneto use green crap to capture people? He controlled metal, not sticky stuff whose colour rather resembled. . . .

"Of course," she said out loud, cutting her train of thought short. "This is a lot harder to fight than metal. Storm can't electrocute it, and Wolverine can't claw his way out. Heck, depending on what this stuff is made out of, it could even prohibit Professor Xavier's psychic abilities."

Katherine headed towards the large hole in one of the construction sites. The hole had been caused by a gigantic robot. She floated down to gap, hoping the mechanical giant was still there. That was much more her thing. If the sentinel was down there, she would have it apart in no time. 

Unfortunately, the hidden base was just as abandoned as everything else. She wasn't even able to determine who had been operating under the construction site. There was no sign of her fellow X-Men, nor Magneto, nor humans. There were computers, but even Kitty couldn't find any information on them. She felt obliged to acknowledge the supreme job somebody had done in deleting the entire computer.

She swore beneath her breath, retracing her path. It wasn't difficult to head back to the giant hole because her footsteps were the only one which encrusted the dusty ground. For having been abandoned less than forty-eight hours ago, whoever had left it had gone to the extreme of making it look like it had been unmanned for years.

Anger crashed down upon her head like on of Lance's avalanches. This was the only lead she had! If the green blob didn't give her any information, then how would she ever find her friend? If the mansion hadn't been destroyed, then perhaps Jean Grey could have risked using Cerebro. . . . 

"Could have. Should have. Would have. It doesn't mean much now, does it?" Kitty passed by what could have been some type of a cell block. She stopped, and turned. What had that been?

Leaning so that she could see slightly better, Kitty touched her fingers to the wall. There were claw marks in that wall! Had she been blind she would have known the owner. There were only three claws.

"Wolverine!" She triumphantly jumped up and down. 'Wolverine was here! Does that mean the others were her too?' Her hopes fell. 'Well, even if they were here, they clearly aren't here now.'

Reaching the entrance, she went into her intangible state and began to float. Her molecules were spread so thin she was no longer floating, but actually walking on other molecules. Kitty thought as she slowly made her way to the surface. The lab had been destroyed, and Dr. McCoy had been taken hostage. She needed to try and find a way to analyse the strange new weapon she had found.

Kitty smiled. Had she been the Grinch her hair would have curled until they resembled little horns. The Blackbird had survived. She had learned to drive the Blackbird before she had learned to drive a car. She could head back to the house and steal it, then head to Muir Island and to Dr. McTaggert. Muir Island had the best lab Kitty knew of. 'If Moira can't figure out this green shit. . . .'

Gently floating to the surface, she became solid once more and was almost immediately drenched. It was raining. Kitty held out her hand, catching the fat raindrops.

"Wonderful," she muttered. Water had plastered her hair to her neck, and she had trouble seeing. "Just peachy. This is exactly what I need right now. It's already pitch black. Now it's pitch black and wet."

Turning from the hole, she bumped into something soft. Kitty felt it stop raining. Someone else was out there with her!

A flashlight flickered to life. Blinded only for a second, Kitty's hazel eyes cleared, and her jaw fell open. Standing under an umbrella, she found herself staring at a man that made her heart began to beat in double time.

He seemed a few years older than she, and was astonishingly tall. Katherine's neck was starting to cramp from trying to look him in the eyes. They were a beautiful shade of baby blue. Under his level gaze they seemed emotionless, but there was something about the way he stood or the way he held the umbrella protectively over them both that made Kitty believe his stern face was lying. His shortly trimmed hair was so dark, even in the flashlight's limited rays they held a blue sheen. He had a strong chin which had a small cleft. Broad shouldered, he made Katherine

feel like she really was a kitten.

She tilted her head to the side and closed her mouth. She was so embarrassed about bumping into him that she felt like sinking into the ground, temporarily forgetting that she could. "Do I know you?"

The man said nothing. As they continued to stare at each other, she became mystified. His eyes were slowly turning into pure silver.

Horrified, she covered her mouth with shaking hands. It was like his skin was melting away! Or as if something were climbing over it. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the man's skin had changed. Katherine recalled touching it before, and knew it was indestructible metal. The last time she'd seen this person, she had left him underneath a building.

"You!" she exclaimed, not certain if it came out as an astonished whisper or a shout. He did nothing, just kept looking at herm sheltering them both from the rain with the umbrella. She took an awkward step back, her foot slipped in the mud, and she suddenly realized what was happening. She was going to fall over the cliff.

Her stomach jumped into her throat, keeping back any scream she might have made. Katherine felt the rain hit her, and the world fell away as the metal ground of the hidden base rushed to meet its helpless victim. . . .

  
  


**** 

  
  


Peter entered the kitchen and found Gambit sitting draped across a kitchen chair, making his cards go flying from hand to hand in a typical card tycoon's trick. Peter poured himself a small glass of vodka and asked the Cajun what was wrong. Remy only seemed to lounge around playing with his cards when something was troubling him or he was incredibly bored.

Gambit ignored the large Russian for a moment or two, pondering life's questions. Peter was a fairly decent guy, but he was also one of Magneto's henchmen, stuck in the same boat. But had Peter decided to go in that boat, or had he been lured by the same ideals as Gambit? 

Little did he know that while he pondered Peter's loyalty to Magneto, the blue eyed mutant was wondering the same thing about Gambit. Only a few days ago, Peter had been ordered to go to the abandoned sentinel base in case any of the X-Men show up to find clues as to their prisoners whereabouts. He'd acquired a seat in a nearby hotel, and sat down to wait, but he didn't have to wait very long. Sure enough, one of the X-babies showed up.

His thoughts drifted from the dining table to that night in the rain. Peter recognized her the moment she turned around and found strange shelter under an unexpected umbrella. From the files Magneto had told his henchmen to memorize, a task Colossus had found incredibly difficult, he had known who she was. Katherine Pryde, nineteen years old, computer genius, with the ability to phase. But when he had stared at her he'd found so many things the file had left out. It didn't say anything about how her eyes seemed to shift from hazel to green or brown, as if they couldn't decide what shade to be. It didn't say anything about how she looked so adorable, or how short she would be compared to him.

But even had he not remembered Katherine from her file, he would have known who she was.

Against his better judgement, he'd changed to his organic steel form. Then he had watched in horror as she went over the edge of the looming hole. He couldn't let her fall! 

What else was he supposed to have done? 

'What if Gambit knows?'

'What if Colossus knows?'

Gambit shuffled himself a game of solitaire and hunched over them. Although he seemed like he was playing, his mind couldn't focus. Not with her in the cell, starving to death. He tried to think of a way that would allow him to discover the purpose for Colossus being a member of the new Brotherhood, and decided for the direct approach. "Peter, what was it dat made you become one of Magneto's men?"

"Illyana," he quickly answered, smiling as he though of his little sister. 

He paused. "Do you believe in what Magneto's offering us, mon ami? Do you believe dat peace can come from war?"

"Tovarish," the larger man chuckled. "I come from Mother Russia. I know that peace never come from war. Then again, I also believe it cannot come from politics alone. Peace must be wanted by all for it to exist. Peace can never be true if it is forced."

"But,"Gambit pointed out. "Den peace will never happen. Gambit and Peter will die, mon ami. Isn't it better to force it one people and risk the few instead of the many?"

Peter thought of Katherine and regretfully shook his head. "It is never worth that, Remy. A life is a life. It doesn't matter how many of them we take, for only one will make us cursed." He leaned his elbow on the table as he arched closer to Gambit. "Why do you ask? Why all the questions? Have you been questioning the morals behind our hostages as. . . ."

"G'day, mates," Pyro said as he sat down, jumping into a chair. "What are we discussing t'day?"

"Rien," Gambit told the Australian. He gathered his cards and said a quick goodbye, leaving the Russian to deal with John.

Peter played the unintelligent Russian he almost always did. Often, after hearing him speak, many people would consider the large man too stupid to be able to do anything other than what he was told. Magneto repeatedly criticized his unintelligence. He smiled at Pyro. "I am about to make lunch. You want some, ya?"

"No thanks." Pyro pursed his lips as Peter began to make himself a double portioning of his meal, the same way he always did. Something strange was up with those two. . . .

  
  


****

  
  


The doors leading to the cell bay opened with a clang, causing Rogue to look up in surprise. Gambit hadn't visited her in what seemed like days. Maybe it was him, and he was bringing her something to eat! Her heart soared. She hadn't eaten in days and was really, really hungry.

"Cajun? That you?" she called. When gambit had left after their last encounter the lights had been turned off and it had been dark ever since. The darkness was slowly driving her crazy. She didn't know how much longer she could handle the total darkness.

"Not quite, my dear," came a smooth voice. "Although Gambit, or rather, 'Cajun' as you call him, is here."

All of a sudden the lights came on in a blinding flash, causing Rogue to cover her eyes with a startled cry. She heard footsteps approaching her cell, but couldn't open her eyes to see where it was. "Gambit?" she called wearily.

Gambit took a step towards her. She was strong. To see her reduced to this was killing him. He was about to reach out to her when his companion stopped him.

"Do not disobey my wishes, LeBeau."

Gambit frowned, but stepped back. "Oui, Magneto."

Rogue had managed to clear her eyes by this point and saw that it was indeed Magneto standing over her. His helmet reflecting the overhead lights. She glared at Magneto and slowly rose to her feet. "What do you want with me, Magneto?"

"Nothing but our freedom, my child," he said. "I need a mutant with your strength to aid my team." He flipped his purple cape over one shoulder. "What do you say, my dear? Will you join is and fight for the freedom pf mutant kind?"

Rogue didn't give any response other than to spit in his face.

Magneto reeled back and cried out, "How low class, woman!" He growled as he pulled a small remote out of his belt and pointed it at Rogue. "This is what happens to those who disrespect me." He said calmly as he pressed a big, red button int the middle of the remote and Rogue screamed in pain.

She fell to her knees, clutching her sides. It felt as though her ribs were trying to pierce her skin. She kept screaming as Magneto smirked at her.

Gambit watched Rogue. How could torturing the girl help gain their freedom? Was this cruelty really the way to further Magento's cause? He remained standing in silence, not knowing what to do. He knew Rogue had done nothing to deserve this pain, but he also knew he was not powerful enough to go against Magneto.

Tears were streaming down Rogue's face as Magneto finally released the button and ended her pain. She fell on her back and tried to force her eyes open.

"You see, child? It is useless to refuse my offer. Just agree to join the Brotherhood and you will be released from your bonds." He said as he extended a hand to Rogue.

She rolled over on to her stomach and slowly pushed herself to her knees. Glaring at Magneto, she tried to get to her feet but her body was still too weak.

"Magneto, why not just brainwash her?" Gambit asked. He wasn't sure why, but seeing her in pain hurt him. It hurt him more than any torture he'd ever witnessed.

"Because, fool, brainwashing is relatively easy to undo!" Magneto snapped. "If she agrees, however. . . ."

"I'll never agree!" Rogue shouted, cutting him off.

Magneto turned his full attention to the girl. "I am sad to hear you say that, my dear." The look on his face was beyond menacing. "I had hoped I would not have to resort to more violence." He turned to Gambit. "Grab her," he commanded as he opened her cell using his metal controlling powers.

Gambit quickly moved into the cell and headed for Rogue, who had backed up into a corner. He grabbed her shoulders, but not as roughly as he would have. He bent his face towards hers. "Just agree, chere. You don't know what Magneto is capable of." He tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Please, chere. . . ."

Rogue looked at gambit in confusion. "Why would ya tell me this? You're working for Magneto, ain't ya?"

"Gambit!" came Magneto's voice. "Hurry it up. I do not have all day."

"Oui, Magneto," Gambit shot over his shoulder. He quickly turned back to Rogue. "I work here only 'cause dey pay me, Petite. Remy doesn't agree with torture." He covered his head. "Chere, I don't want to see you tortured anymore. Please, agree to join us. Je vous enprie."

Rogue shook her head. "Ah believe in peace, Gambit. Ah won't agree to work for war." She held her head high as she spoke, w\looker braver than she truly felt.

Gambit sighed and pulled her towards the door of the tiny cell. Magneto stood there, keeping his eyes on Rogue. "I will give you one last chance, my dear. Will you join our team?"

"Ah would rathah die than join scum like you," she spat.

Magneto's smile was almost too sweet. "I was hoping you'd say that." He turned to Gambit. "Bring her along." Magneto turned and began to walk down the brightly lit corridor, his boos clanging against the metal floor with each step.

Rogue kept her eyes straight ahead, her thoughts on the Cajun who held her shoulders. He was being paid to do this? She was pleased to discover that he wasn't doing this because he believed in it. 'A small comfort in difficult times,' she mused as they continued down the hall.

All Gambit could think about was how wrong all this felt. Magneto claimed he was rounding up the most powerful mutants in the world in order to create a powerful force. A force so powerful that they would be able to force the government's political hand in their direction. A world for mutants governed by mutants. They would force bills on mutant rights to be rejected by force! Magneto explained that Professor Xavier's peaceful methods had failed -miserably. Now it was time for him to step down, to make way for a more successful method of persuasion.

As they reached the black door at the end of the hall, both Rogue and Gambit felt a chill. What was to take place beyond that cold steel door they could only guess. All they were sure of was that it would not be pleasant -for either of them.

~*~ To be continued.......MAUWHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

  
  
  
  



	3. A Thief's Honor and Honor's Heart

AN:  Wish The Walrus Was Paul Happy Birthday!!  Sorry, it took us so long to get all these things uploaded, but with two people who are working three jobs between them, it's a little difficult to get together.  We hope you enjoy this chapter!  There's some fluff…. How could se be the fluffy walrus without romance, right?  And… ah… don't kill us for having another cliffhanger ending!!!

Chapter Three:  A Thief's Honor

            "Strap her to the table, LeBeau," Magneto ordered.

            Gambit nodded and pulled Rogue toward a cold metal table in the center of the illuminated room.  He hated this room, it stank like death.  Gambit had only been in this room once before, and even then only for a few minutes, as he retrieved a file for Magneto had requested.  He'd never seen this room in use, and now as he held Rogue's shoulders, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

            "LeBeau!  Strap her to the table or I will find someone who can!" Magneto barked.

            "Oui, excusez moi, Magneto," he apologized as he pulled Rogue toward the table.

            Rogue weakly struggled against his grip.  "Shh, Petite," Gambit whispered into her ear, pulling her body against his.  "Come on, Chere. Agree to work wit' Magneto."

            She shook her head and ceased her struggle and allowed Gambit to move her to the table.  She lay down and watch Gambit as he attatched the metal restraints to her hands and feet.  She kept her eyes on his, watching his every move, his eyes never meeting hers as he finished his work and stepped back to allow Magneto to begin her torture.

            "Are you ready, my dear?"

            "Go to hell, Magneto!" Rogue spat.

            "My dear, try to calm yourself."  He picked up a needle and examined it.  "Now, this will hurt you much more then it will hurt me."  He laughed as he lowered the needle to her temple and began to inject it.

            Rogue clamped her eyes shut as the needle penetrated her flesh.  Her eyes flew open as she felt pain unlike anything she'd ever felt before.  It felt like her entire body was on fire.  Unable to control herself, she let lose a horrible scream that chilled Gambit to his very soul.  

            Rogue was thrashing about on the table, the metal restraints bruising her skin, as the serum continued along within her system, leaving no physical harm, but causing unbearable pain.

            "Just agree to join our team, child, and this will all be over," Magneto said as the serum began to wear off.  

            'Just give in,' Gambit thought.  'Don't let him do dis. . . ."

            "Fuck you," she said weakly, gasping for breath as she tried to focus on something –anything other then the lingering pain.     

            Magneto shook his head and pulled out a whip.  "Gambit, release her from the table."

            Gambit did so, then carried Rogue's limp body to the wall, where manacles lay, waiting.  He looked at the girl, his dark hair falling into his face.  Why was she putting herself through this?  Were her beliefs really that strong?  He didn't know what that was like, to believe in something so much that he would be willing to suffer like her, in order to defend it.  This girl was very strong, one with a spirit he'd never seen before.  He hoped that, Magneto finally forced her to join their team, the damage to her would not be permanent.

            "Magneto, mabbe you do something else?  What can dis accomplish?" Gambit asked, still holding the semi-conscious Rogue in his arms.

            "LeBeau, do not question my methods!  I do not expect a swamp rat like to understand why I do what I do."  He glared at the twenty-four year old Cajun with contempt.  "I am beginning to question your loyalties.  You do not want me to question your loyalties, Gambit."

            Gambit stopped.  He could take a lesson from Rogue and stand up for what he believed in, or simply obey Magneto's commands.

            Rogue slowly opened her eyes, and Gambit looked into the green depths, looking back.  He guessed he must have found his answer in her eyes, but at the same time, he wasn't sure why he did what he did.  Gambit lowered his head and kissed Rogue's unresponsive lips before he to Magneto.

            "Non," Gambit said firmly.  "Gambit will not do dis anymore.  Torture is not de way to obtain peace.  Money or not, I will no longer do dis."  Gambit tightened his grip on Rogue.

            Fury flashed across Magneto's face.  "You!  You dare to betray me!"

            "Oui."

            Magneto took a deep breath to calm himself.  "Very well, swamp scum.  You have decided your fate."  He raised one hand and pointed it at Gambit.  "You will share hers."

            A restraining collar fastened itself around Gambit's neck.  "What a fool you were, LeBeau!  You've thrown away a promising career."  He glared at the Cajun and the southern belle.  "As well as both your lives."

~*~

            The pounding of her brain was unfamiliar to Katherine as she slowly returned to the land of the awake.  The jackhammer of pain made her feel angry, but at least she knew she wasn't dead.  The dead wouldn't be able to feel her head being abused by a sledgehammer swung by a juggernaught. 

            Wondering why she wasn't in more pain given the height of her fall (the velocity should have liquefied her bones) she opened her eyes and bolted up. Laying in a bed, covered in three heavy blankets, she was in a sparsely furnished room.  There was a clock and a picture of cute blonde girl on the night stand.  There was a dresser with several books, but Kitty couldn't read the titles, but she did notice the name 'Kafka' as one of the more highly read books.  There were pain and easels neatly arrayed around the chamber, but beyond an unused desk, there wasn't much else.  

            Frightened, confused, and disoriented, she crawled out of the warm bed.  Finding herself still in her X-Men uniform, she tried to phase through the floor and failed.  Katherine tried again, with the same results.  Why couldn't she phase?

            Panic seized her throat and she sank against a wall, slowly sliding to the ground.  Why couldn't she phase?  Katherine had never been able to not phase before!  She could even float through the walls of the danger room, and those had pattern changing force fields that made traveling through walls like walking through molasses.

            She swallowed, and found it slightly hard.  Feeling about her neck, her fingertips met with cold metal.  A collar.  She was wearing a freaking collar.

            "Okay, Kitty," she told herself.  "You can't use your powers.  Take a deep breath.  There's a good girl.  Now, you've gone without your powers before, you can do it again.  No problem.  First, look at the door.  It's the only way out of here and. . . ."

            Katherine blinked.  "And it has no doorknob.  But it has a pin pad.  Okay, now, tools."

            Pulling a pair of tweezers and an optometrist's screwdriver from her belt, she started to take off the face plate.  Katherine paused.  Someone was pressing buttons from the other side of the door!  They were coming into the bedroom!  She dashed to the easel and grabbed a paintbrush.

            Hiding herself behind the door, she jumped out when the person entered and stuck the pointy end of the paintbrush against the man's neck.  She was only slightly surprised at seeing it was the man who could make his skin metal.

            "I have a knife pressed against your neck.  Do you have a key for this collar of yours?" she paused.  Threatening people really wasn't one of her strong points, nor part of the X-Men's curriculum for future super-heroes.  "Put up your hands so I can see them," she ordered, feeling like a police woman off of COPS.

            The Russian man shook his head.  "Nyet.  I cannot.  My hands are full.  Nor do I have the key you ask for.  I put the collar on only for your protection."

            "My protection?  How is keeping me collared like an animal in a room going to keep me safe?"  

            "It kept you from going outside the room," he sensibly answered.  "Not everybody is as… benevolent is the word?  Yes, as benevolent as I.  Pyro would surely kill you on the spot.  Magneto would doubly so.  You are not one the strongest people in the world, so he might not want you to join.  And you are also one of the X-Men, so you are, as far as he is concerned, a traitor."

            He had a good point, but Kitty was far too angry to put the paintbrush down.  Even through her anger, Katherine's friendly, lovable side showed through.  His English made him appear slow, dim-witted, but he had an excellent mind on his shoulders.

            "Keeping me prisoner is supposed to be protective?" she demanded.  "And everybody is out to kill me?  Do you actually think that what you display here is benevolence?"

            Peter turned his face so that he could see Kitty from the corner of his eye.  "Nyet.  Not the part of it which you see.  Keeping you from going over the cliff, that was an act of kindness.  And depending on how one sees the world, an open act of treason.  I was sent there to kill anyone who approached, human or mutant.  Put the paintbrush down."

            Surprised by this new information and his acknowledgement that she was threatening him with a paintbrush.  Putting the artist's tool down, she almost seemed to sulk.  "So what's in your arms that's so important you can't raise your arms?"

            When he turned around she saw he was holding a folded dress and a bowl of steaming soup.  She felt like a heel.

            Almost shyly, he extended the tray in her direction.  "Here.  You've been out of it for a few days.  I'm sure you're hungry, so I have a light soup for you.  The dress is the only thing I could find that might fit you.  I thought you might like to change.  The washroom is behind you."

            She took the offered tray and out it on the desk.  Katherine was now beginning to notice the hunger rumbling in her stomach and her need to go to the washroom.

            Once she was cleaned up and refreshed, she reentered the bedroom.  Kitty itched at the collar, but pretended to ignore it.  Her captor was busy painting.  Digging into the soup, she couldn't tell what it was, she inhaled it so fast.  Katherine went bright pink when the Russian told her not to drink so quickly, as she hadn't eaten in a few days.

            He turned around to look at her, wearing a friendly smile.  "Let us start all over again.  My name is Piotr Rasputin."

            "Katherine Pryde."  She shook his hand hello, and was quiet for a moment.  Though interested in the painting, she was much more interested in something else.  "So if you were sent to the site to kill people, how come you didn't kill me?"

"You don't understand the idea of starting over, do you?"  She shook her head no, making him sigh.

            "So are you going to let me go now?"

            "I don't know."  Peter paused, then walked over to Katherine.  "I suppose, Katya, that you will just have to convince me."  And he leaned over and kissed her.

~*~

            Rogue awoke hours later back in her cell and sat up slowly. Her body was still aching, she hadn't been tortured too badly after Gambit's betrayal, _he_ on the other hand…

            She looked around her cell and found her fears confirmed. Gambit was lying unconscious on the floor, blood pooled around several serious looking abrasions in his extremities. He lay on his stomach, a pained expression on his handsome face.

            "Ya saved me Cajun…" she muttered as she moved towards him, determined to do anything she could to save him, "Why? Ah'm your enemy… ar at least Ah shoulda been.." She pulled the thin blanket off the sad excuse for a bed and began to tear strips from it, hoping to create some make shift bandages. 

            When she had several decent sized strips, she moved to Gambit's side and looked him over, "Ah can't see a thing with that dang duster on him." She said as she decided to flip him onto his back, then remove his coat. It took her several tries as she was still wearing the collar which meant her powers were still being suppressed. 

            "Cajun, you need to lose some weight." She grunted as she finally got him on his back. She peeled off the duster and gasped at the number of cuts running up and down his body.

            She removed his shirt and began to patch him up as best she could, given the tools at her disposal. Finishing up, she sat back and admired her work. Not too shabby considering her complete lack of medical training.

            "Ah gotta admit, Ah do good work." She congratulated herself. 

            "I dunno chere, Gambit still feelin' pretty bad…" Gambit's voice was weak and hoarse. 

            Rogue looked at him, "Well had ya just kept yer big mouth shut…"

            Gambit struggled to pull himself into a sitting position and faced Rogue, "I don' regret what I did chere," he looked at the dark ceiling, "it felt good to stand up for somet'ing I believe in for once."

            Rogue sat down beside him, "Why would ya risk yer life for me?"

            Gambit decided beating around the bush would be futile at this point. He sighed and kept his eyes away from her. "Gambit don' really know chere. You the first woman I ever felt like dis 'bout, it be very strange." He turned his unique eyes to her, "All I know is dat seeing you in pain was one of the hardest t'ings I ever done. I couldn't stand it petite, Gambit knew he had to do somet'ing."

            Rogue's eyes softened as she regarded him, no one had ever said anything like that to her. No one in her miserable existence had ever sacrificed so much for her. She hated to think it, but she felt her heart melt.

            "Well, Ah guess Ah should thank ya for that." She said as she smiled at him. 

            Gambit returned her smile, "Gambit glad we clear all dat up chere, but we still got a big problem. How we gonna get outta here?"

            "Simple my dear boy," came Magneto's voice from all around them. "You will never leave this cell alive. If I were you, I'd make peace with whatever god I believed in."

            Rogue's hand sought out Gambit's and they clutched each other fear running through them both. What would Magneto so to them? Starve them? Kill them right out? It wasn't an answer Rogue was sure she wanted to know.

            "Gambit, Ah'm scared. We're helpless without our powers! What do we do now?" as she spoke she tightened her grip on Remy's hand.    

            Gambit shook his head, "I don't know chere. I don't know…" with that the two frightened teens clung to each other in the dark, afraid of what would happen when the lights finally came back on…


	4. Keeping Warm and Getting Hot

Well since we didn't do it last time, I (TheWalrusWasPaul) figured we'd better give a shout out to our reviewers! Go me! (And how come no one wished me a happy birthday?! You've all got till the 14th of August to wish me a happy 19th, or I'll cry. Yeah I really mean it! I WILL cry!)

Rogue Warrior Spirit: Yes, yes he is sweet, we all want one. …wait… I'm tired. 

Lady Dragon :Hey! Pay attention to the Kitty parts too! PoF works hard on those! (Not that I mind you like my Romy stuff! Hey! Go check out my solo stuff! More Romynessness can be found there!) 

Roguehobbit: we did, go us!

Ishandahalf: You will hereby be called Ishy, because even though I love you, your name is too bloody hard to remember! (I LOVE you!) Yes our batman story is really cool isn't it? Didn't you LOVE the scene when Catwoman….wait…and yes by the by they are totally screwed… what was I saying Robin?

A/N: There is hinted at adult situations in here! GASP! No, they don't hop on the good foot and do the bad thing(or at least I don't go into detail about it) ! (That's for my solo stuff…. Yes I realize I'm shamless… blah) 

Chapter Four: Keeping Warm and Getting Hot ( Don't like? You work 6 hours at Dairy Queen (Pof) and NINE hours at Little Ceasers (TWWP) and come up with something better! At least we updated!) 

Cold.

It was bloody cold in their cell, 'Ah guess we ain't important enough to waste heat on'. Rogue mused as she wrapped her arms more tightly around her shaking body. She hated the cold, it never got this cold down south not even in January! The temperature seemed to be dropping by the minute; Rogue couldn't stop her teeth from chattering. 

            "You okay chere?" Gambit asked, not having much fun in the cold either. 

            Rogue gave a short nod, "If it gets any colder in here Swamp Rat, Ah'm gonna be in trouble though." She admitted. 

            Gambit looked around the cell, trying to think of something to help them. Only half of the thin blanket that Rogue had used to bandage his wounds lay on the floor. He stood up, grabbed it and moved to sit next to Rogue, "Dere be only one blanket chere. Normally Remy would love to be a gen'leman and let you have it, but I don' like the cold anymore den you do." He explained as he wrapped the blanket around them both. 

            Rogue nodded and leabed her head on Gambit's shoulder, "Ah was wonderin' Gambit, will ya join the X Men when we get outta this?"

            Remy sighed, "I don' know chere, last team I joined didn' turn out so good." He turned to her, "why should de X Men be any different?"

            "Because we're honest Remy, we don't lie to our team mates. Magneto lied to everyone of ya." She drew her knees into her chest, "Proffsah X nevah lied to ua, even when he was tryin' to recruit me, he was honest about what he wanted me for."

            Gambit went quiet, thinking about what she'd said. Honesty. That was a nearly forgin word to him. He'd been lied to a great deal during his rahter short existence. Maybe it's be nice to have someone be honest with him.

            "I sill don't know chere, mabbe I need a more personal reason to join your team." He winked at her. 

            Rogue smiled and shook her head, "We'll see Cajun." She leaned her head against his shoulder, "maybe we should focus on gettin' outta here first."

            Gambit placed his arm round her shoulders, pulling her to him. "Chere we tried evert'ing, dere's no way out." His thumb began tracing small circles on her upper arm, "Maybe we should just enjoy ourselves 'fore we die."

            Rogue snorted in disgust and pushed away from him, "get real! What do ya expect me ta do? Jump into yer arms and ask ya to take me? Not in this life time Swamp Rat!" she glared at him, "Ah'm goin' to sleep." She said as she repositioned herself on the cold floor, the blanket which was still wrapped around Gambit, only covered her midsection. She curled up beside Gambit and put her head on one of her arms. Rogue closed her eyes and tired to fall asleep. 

            Not that that was about to happen, it was too bloody cold, and her legs were exposed to the near artic air. She pressed her back up against Gambit's warm thigh and sighed in relief as she was able to obtain some warmth from the contact. 

            Gambit sighed and began thinking about what she'd said concerning the X Men. Maybe he should join, he'd severed his ties with the Guilds and had now turned his back on Magneto. He really had no where else to go. With the bad luck he'd had lately, things could only get better. Right?

            His train of thoughts was cut short as he felt Rogue shiver beside him. The only way they were going to make it through the night was to work together. 

            Gambit lay down behind her, he pulled the blanket over their bodies and spooned up behind her.

            Rogue stiffened as she felt his press himself against her, the warmth of his body felt amazing, not that she was about to admit that. "What do ya think yer doin'? she demanded. She would have moved away from him, but the contact felt so good. His body was hard and yet soft all at the same time. She could smell his cologne and felt her stomach flutter as she inhaled his scent.

            "Relax chere, it be cold and we need to survive." He wrapped one arm around her, "no better way to do it den through good ol' body heat." He said as he pulled her closer into his body and she had to admit, it felt good.

            She could practically _hear_ the smug grin on his face, she shook her head, "Ya well, don't you try nothin'." 

            "Ne t'enquite pas chere, I won' do anyt'ing you don't want me too." He said as he shifter a little trying to make himself more comfortable, she squirmed in return, unintentionally pressing her back side into his groin. 

            "Careful chere! You give Gambit the wrong idea!" he teased lightly, trying to control a reaction from his body.

            "Shut up and go ta sleep." Rogue snapped as the tried to take her own advice, but Gambit's arm around her and the rather obvious display of his arousal were more then a little distracting. Hell, it was more then a little arousing! She sighed and snuggled into his arms, it was still bitterly cold, but she felt strangely warm. Damn Gambit, it was all his fault!

            She was far too distracted to sleep so she closed her eyes and started to count backwards from one hundred first in English then in French. At around 75 her eyes flew open as she felt Gambit's hand begin to creep up along her stomach. She did nothing as her shirt began to rise righter and higher and Gambit's hand began to stroke the underside of her breast.  Rogue felt her eyes begin to close as a soft moan escaped her lips. 

            Gambit took her moan as a sign that she wanted him to continue. He began to stroke her breast much less discreetly; he began playing with her rather sensitive nipple. Rogue arched her back, she'd never felt anything like this before. She pressed her self against Remy's body, trying to intensify the feelings coursing through her.

            Rogue's moans intensified as her backside pressed into his groin causing him to moan a little himself. What he was not prepared for was her hand reaching down between their body grasping for his rapidly hardening member. 

            Finally Gambit could stand it no longer and flipped Rogue onto her back, pinning her wrists to the ground.   
            "Chere what are you don' to me…" he asked, not really looking for an answer as he pressed his lips to hers. 

            They remained locked together for what seemed like forever, then things started to heat up. Gambit's duster was the first thing to go, followed by Rogue's now tattered clothing and finally Gambit's uniform. The heat the two were producing was more then enough to keep them from feeling the cold. 

            "Remy Ah…"

            "Shh Chere." He said as he kissed her once more, "we don' know what's gonn' happen come mornin', let's not say anyt'ing we may regret latter, neh?"

            "Sure Sugah, maybe you're right…"

            "Chere?"

            "Ya?"

            "Shut up."

~*~

            Katherine was the type of girl who needed to know everything.  Not everything as in life, the universe, and everything, but as in how things worked, as in why and how.  So when Peter suddenly leaned forward and kissed her, she was astounded that her analytical mind finally shut up, and she could let herself enjoy the sensation.

            His fingers inched forward, running up her arm.  His large body eclipsed hers, but she wasn't scared.  It made her feel safe, like he was sheltering her from all the bad things in the world.

            His lips were gentle on hers, as if he were nervous of frightening her away.  Katherine knew though, that nothing he could do would ever frighten her.  She'd been knocked out for days, but Peter had done nothing.  He'd been sent to kill her, but hadn't.  Even when they had first her, he hadn't hurt her, or any of her friends.  And what had she done in return?

            Being with him felt so incredibly right.  She kissed him back, his lips surprisingly soft and warm.  Wrapping her arms around his neck, so her fingertips were playing with his hair, she fell backwards on the bed, pulling Peter with her.

            God, she needed to be with him.  Katherine opened her mouth to his, and felt him copy her.  She mentally smiled.  Peter was letting her lead them, only going as far as she wanted.  Kitty slipped her tongue past his, running it over the roof of his mouth.  They both shuddered in pleasure.  Katherine had never imagined he would taste so good.

            Falling away from him, she let her hands fall to his torso, her fingers tracing the outlines of his muscular chest.  "Does that mean you're going to help me find my friends?"

            "Da."

            "Have I convinced you to desert Magneto?"

            "Da."

            "Does this mean you're going to let me go?"

            "Nyet.  Not until I am completely satisfied."

            Kissing her again, the passion in his touch made Katherine's skin tremble.  'Well, as long as we're agreed, then,' she thought.

            His hands began to itch to touch her, to lower the straps of her dress. She was so small, though, he worried about crushing her.  Moving down from her mouth, his lips kissed her cheeks, and her chin.  Katherine arched her neck, but his administration stopped.  Peter reached over and pulled out the key to the collar. He let his hand run up her stomach before reaching the collar around her neck and unlocking it.  He threw the damn thing away.

            Peter nuzzled her neck, his warm breath chilling her.  Katherine clung to him.  She shifted under him, phasing so that her legs were on either side of his body.  As his mouth kissed her neck, Kitty purred with pleasure.  His hand slipped the strap of her dress off her slender shoulder, and his large hand cupped her breast.

            She was so beautiful.  He wondered if she knew how astounding she was, or how highly he thought of her.  When she moaned as his lips moved down to kiss the nape of her neck, he swore he heard music.  From the first time he had seen her,  Peter knew he had found his muse.  How could he possibly let her go, now that he had finally found her?

            Kissing her as he went, he slowly slid her dress back into place.  "Katya, if we continue. . . . "

            "I know.  We can continue this later, once Rogue and the others are free."  She shakily sat up, but made sure she was sitting close enough to Peter that one whole side of her body was touching his.  "Do you know where they're being held?"

            He nodded.  "I do know where Rogue is.  Personally, I do not know how we can save them.  Magneto is very powerful, and Pyro is plain crazy."

            "Ah," Kitty said, nodding.  "Flameboy."  She wished Storm were here.  Not only would the weather goddess make quick work of the fire-manipulating young man, she was a powerful ally, and a calm influence to have around.  Katherine always felt better when Storm was around.

            She smiled and jumped off the bed.  "Well, we'll find a way to get around them, Peter.  Come on.  If we can get my friends free, then we'll have more than enough fire power to deal with Magneto and Pyro."

            Thinking, she turned around and smiled.  "Oh, and if you think Pyro's crazy, you should see Scott when Xavier isn't around.  Four-thirty training sessions, until half an hour from school starts.  There's a certain reason why Kurt and Spyke tie-dyed all of Scott's boxers pink on April Fool's Day."

            Peter snickered.  "Scott Summers.  I remember his file.  Magneto jokes that every one in four people is a closet Summers."  Katherine was going to ask him about this, but he gave her back her uniform.  "Go and change.  If we encounter trouble, these clothes will suit you better fighting than the dress.  The smell may act as reinforced protection."

            After Kitty had changed, he opened the door.  "Stay behind me.  And be very quiet.  Magneto has cameras all over the place.  They're sound activated."

            "Really… not a problem.  I can take care of those.  My phasing power deactivated things like security cameras."

            He smiled at her.  "Then this could be much simpler than I feared."

~*~

            They lay together in the aftermath of their shared night, both amazed at the intensity of the experience. 

            "Ah didn't know it was likah that…" Rogue muttered as she shifted her head on Gambit's chest with a contented sigh.

            Remy looked at the top of her head, "Me neither chere." He agreed as he pulled her closer. 

            They were lying under not only the thin blanket, but also all the clothing they'd torn off at some point a few short hours ago. The room was still bitterly cold but the feeling of impending doom had been somewhat ebbed. It had been replaced with a feeling of happiness and contentment that neither would soon forget. 

            "Remy," Rogue began, "we still got time before night's over right?"

            "Oui chere, why?"

            Rogue smirked and rolled on top of Gambit, "No reason." She said as she kissed his again and again and again…

            The temperature in the room was once again beginning to rise when suddenly….!

            "Brr! It's so cold in here! Peter! I think I found them! Rogue?"  There was a pause.  "Oh my God, Rogue what are you doing?!" Kitty gasped as she covered her eyes with her hands. 

            "De name's Remy petite," Gambit piped up as he reached for their make shift blankets and tired to cover them up.

            "Hi, Kitty…" came Rogue's voice from the mass of clothing. "Would ya mind turnin' 'round so we can get decent?"

            Kitty rolled her eyes, "This is the last time I rescue you!" she complained as she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back on her best friend, muttering all the while about stupid teenagers and their hormones. 

~*~

AN:  I wanted to have Kitty peeking, but the PoF wouldn't let me!  Grr at her! It woulda been funny! Gr……..\

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Do it…


End file.
